I was chilled to the core. The unsettling chords that were played at seemingly random intervals did not complement the intense drumming pattern beneath them. Worried that I would have to write a bad review for the Montreal-based band, my anxious attitude was completely shifted once Erika Angell’s angelic voice broke out. Confident that I was going to be involved in something completely original, Thus Owls provided a new perspective on approaching music that thoroughly impressed me.

Dallas Green’s latest album is not one to disappoint. Starting off slow and mysterious, If I Should Go Before You blossoms into the gentle coffee house music we have come to love and expect from City and Colour. Supported by upbeat catchy songs such as “Wasted Love” which is sure to be a chart topper, If I Should Go Before You also brings tracks that embrace the audience and gently lower them into total relaxation. Fortunately, many tunes from the 11-track album contain both of these qualities. It is an excellent album for people who are just beginning to listen to City and Colour and the perfect present for those who have been fans for a while. 

The Sheepdogs latest album Future Nostalgia has left me at a loss for words, although I will do my best to deliver the praise it deserves. My previous experiences with The Sheepdogs’ music have been very minimal. Songs such as “Feeling Good” and “I Don’t Know” were the only ones performed by them I knew of. It only took one listening of Future Nostalgia for me to realize that I had been missing out from something great. The southern influence is heavily represented in all of the songs on the album, which is expected from the group. With perfectly placed guitar riffs and radically refreshing blues licks on the piano, Future Nostalgia brings excellent southern blues tracks that never let up. 

The Gates is the latest album from indie pop group Young Empires. Full of catchy synthesized beats and simple lyrics, The Gates is a groovy summer album released in the fall. I can easily see many of the songs from The Gates being played on dance playlists across the city. For those who are looking for brand new acoustic music from a talented street rat, this is not the album for you. If funky alternative pop is more of your cup of tea, The Gates is the album you’ve been looking for. 

For me, listening to Sweet Baboo’s The Boombox Ballads was like a breath of fresh air. At times it seemed that every song made me want to dance. Although it’s not very hard to convince me to bust a move, I still have respect for artists that have the ability to put a spring in my step. Stephen Black’s voice was a perfect match for every track on this album. Soft and gentle, it added a carefree tone, on the edge of innocence at times, to the upbeat songs that made up the majority of the album. 

Sublime with Rome are back in action with their follow up album from their debut release Yours Truly in 2011. Perhaps some of the most grooving tracks I've heard in a long time, the album is its own brand of excellence from start to finish.

Through promotion and the four music videos that Twenty One Pilots have released so far, it’s evident that Blurryface is the most relate-able conceptual albums in it’s simplicity: we all have Blurryface inside of us, representing our fears and our demons.

This album showcases their roots, but goes beyond to explore new aspects that they haven’t necessarily done yet, even if other bands have. This band will never reinvent the pop-punk wheel, but they can definitely spin it in new directions.

This album stands alone as the fifth chapter of The Maine’s album progression; an adventure that just keeps getting better.